Saturday, August 21, 2010

Salmonella Outbreak- Check Your EGGS!



There is a nation-wide recall of eggs due to an outbreak of salmonella that has spanned across the United States this summer, causing hundreds of cases each week. What are symptoms of salmonella food poisoning? Fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramping that starts anywhere from 12 hours to 3 days after eating contaminated eggs. Salmonella is passed to humans when we eat raw or undercooked eggs that have been infected.

When might you ever eat raw eggs? Well, most of us prefer them cooked, but there are some circumstances that we don't think about such as sneaking cookie dough from the bowl when we are baking homemade cookies, or licking the batter for cakes, or swiping some meringue or mousse. Salad dressings (like Caesar) or sauces may have raw egg as well.

Which eggs have been recalled? Get ready, it's a bunch: Lucerne, Albertsons, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms, and Kemps were originally recalled, and now the list also includes Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralphs, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps, and Pacific Coast. Ask your local grocer if their eggs were included, to be certain.

If you get diarrhea, do you need antibiotics? Probably not, if you are healthy. However, elderly, very young, or immune-compromised people are at higher risk of severe symptoms, and may need antibiotics.

BOTTOM LINE: Be aware that we have had a nation-wide Salmonella outbreak, so check with your favorite grocery store, stop sneaking cookie dough, and COOK YOUR EGGS thoroughly before you eat them!

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